What I Would Do
by bazooie
Summary: When something happens to the one he loves most, what would Inuyasha do to piece his life back together? Rated for a tad of violence, an InuKag fic
1. Unexpected Occurences

HEY!! Sorry, maybe that was a little too cheerful. It's just that I FINALLY figured out how to post anything, so I'm a little excited.hehe. In case any of you all out there cared, this is my first fanfic, so be nice (no flames; you KNOW they're not nice (). Well, I'll just get started then! *oh, and sorry if the guys are a little OOC*  
  
DISCLAIMER: Despite the popular belief of the people inside my head, I DO NOT own Inuyasha or any of his friends (or enemies, for that matter). Although I do own a tape with them on it and a couple of mangas..  
  
Chapter 1: Unexpected Occurrences  
  
The gang was walking along the forest path. As of now, we don't know why (or care, for that matter). Perhaps they were hunting for Shikon shards or maybe Miroku needed to make a pit stop (Miroku: HEY! That's somewhat PERSONAL! Me: Hey, sorry. But too bad (). Nonetheless, they were walking along the path. As all of us know, whenever they walk together, certain occurrences usually occur. Well, today is no different.  
  
"Kagome, I'm tired. Can't we rest for some CANDY? Please?" the oh-so-trying Shippo asked.  
  
"How can you be tired, whelp, you've been riding on Kagome's shoulders the whole time! Why don't you act your age and actually WALK for once?" Who else could this be but Inuyasha.no comment.  
  
"Inuyasha, why are you always picking on Shippo? Just leave him alone and he'll leave you alone. Geez, even EVERYONE ELSE could figure that out." (Of course, this is Kagome.can you tell?)  
  
"And just what is that supposed to mean, wench?"  
  
"Just leave Shippo alone, okay? You've been picking on him the whole time. AND DON'T CALL ME WENCH."  
  
"Yeah, Inuyasha, quit trying to act all indifferent to Kagome when you know that you l-"  
  
"Shut UP, whelp! No wonder your family left you."  
  
Shippo stiffened, then let out a wail, followed by "KAGOME, HE'S DOING IT AGAIN!"  
  
"Inuyasha, leave him alone!" Kagome looked as if she were ready to tear out Inuyasha's luxurious hair one strand at a time.  
  
"And just what are you going to do about it?" His triumphant smile froze in place when he saw the demonic, evil look on Kagome's face. Crap, I forgot AGAIN, he thought.  
  
"Oh, I'll tell you.SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT AGAIN!" With each "sit", Inuyasha continually tried brace himself but failed miserably as he was slammed into the dirt again, and again, and again. Miroku just sighed and looked up for help (this had become an everyday occurrence) and Sango barely took any notice, as most of her attention was on petting Kirara (perched on her shoulder) and walking along the worn path.  
  
"Why did you sit me three times instead of the usual one?!?"  
  
"Because you got one sit for hounding (haha) Shippo, one more for calling me a wench, and another because you're Inuyasha."  
  
"What kind of reasoning is that, you." he stopped when he saw the angry expression on Kagome's face, then picked up again. "You person."  
  
"Nice save, hound dog." She pivoted on her heel and stalked off ahead, Shippo on her shoulders. Then Inuyasha pulled himself out of the lovely hole he'd made and followed (Miroku and Sango just kept walking; I mean, it's not like they actually stopped to watch this). Periodically as they walked, Shippo would turn around and stick out his tongue at Inuyasha and then Inuyasha would just let out with his usual "Feh".  
  
They walked in an uncomfortable silence for about five minutes, and then Miroku decided to ease the tenseness.  
  
"Why can't you and Kagome just get along as well as Sango and I?" he asked Inuyasha as he put his arm around the latter said female.  
  
She let out a huffy sigh and smacked him with her oversize boomerang she had conveniently in her grip.  
  
"I think that one might have broken my face, Sango," he said as he clutched his nose that was making his eyes tear (not tear as in tear the paper but tear as in boo hoo).  
  
"Good. Then maybe you won't say anything stupidly suggestive anymore, Houshi."  
  
He sighed, caught up with Inuyasha and whispered, "One knows that she cares about one's self when she has the energy to insult him and then smack him silly."  
  
Inuyasha looked sideways at the lecherous monk. "Are you suggesting that about you and Sango or about me and Kagome?"  
  
Miroku responded with a shrug and a devious look on his face, and Inuyasha responded to this with his traditional "Feh".  
  
Meanwhile, in the front of the procession, Kagome was lecturing Shippo. "Now Shippo, you also shouldn't bait Inuyasha and make him insult you and maim you."  
  
"Oh, but it's so much fun!" he said with a grin. Kagome just shook her head and kept walking.  
  
None of them knew that they were being watched.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*  
  
Suddenly, Inuyasha started sniffing the air rapidly.  
  
"I smell a demon," he said, then took one giant leap, whisked up Kagome (and Shippo, even though he almost fell off of her), put her on his back and then began to run (during this time, Miroku and Sango followed suit, hopped on Kirara and followed the dog-demon).  
  
A crashing lump fell in the way of the troupe, making Inuyasha dodge rapidly to the side and Kirara stop suddenly.  
  
The large lump assorted its various parts and met Inuyasha's confused stare. "I.Krowten. I.kill you now," the oversize crow demon cawed.  
  
"You can try all you want, fowl. I'll treat you the same way I treat all other enemies," Inuyasha said while licking his claws expectantly (me: Ew, Inuyasha! Why are you doing that?? Inuyasha: WHAT? It's called intimidation! Moron. me: Don't call me a moron or I'll cut you out of the story! Inuyasha: How can you cut me out of the story?? I'M THE MAIN CHARACTER!!! THE WHOLE SHOW'S NAMED AFTER ME!! Me: shut up, Inuyasha or I'll drop-kick you. Inuyasha: Feh).  
  
"Well, I'd like to see you try and kill us, Krowten," said Miroku cheerfully.  
  
Sango stared at him. "Do you take some kind of sick pleasure watching us fight for our survival?"  
  
As Houshi just shrugged, Krowten spoke again. "I.no wanna kill you. Just.the half-demon. And perhaps the other girl's.flesh soft to chew?" he said while looking hopefully at Kagome. All Kagome could do in response was squeal disgustedly, glare at him, leap off Inuyasha, raise her bow and fit an arrow from her quiver into it (did I mention that she had this?), and was about to fire when Sango put her arm across Kagomes', shoving them down.  
  
"Now.I have to know why you want to kill us before we give you sad guts a run-through. No wait.jewel shards?" Krowten nodded, a little miffed by his delay in munching human flesh as promised. "Ah, I see. How original. Well, now that I know that, you may fire when ready, Kagome."  
  
"I'll let Inuyasha do the job since he's been glaring at me for crushing his fragile male ego a second ago when I almost killed the demon (Inuyasha: NOOOO WHY DID SHE HAVE TO GO AND SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT??)." She turned to Inuyasha and said with a smile, "By the way, Inuyasha, the smelly canary has 3 jewel shards, one in each wing and one in his forehead, so make sure to get them!" Then she glared at Krowten while Inuyasha shook his head and charged down the crow demon.  
  
"Krawwww!" it screamed as it fled high into the air where Inuyasha couldn't reach it, even with his sword. It flapped its powerful (even more powerful than usual) wings, then dove on top of Inuyasha.  
  
"I have you now!" Inuyasha yelled and swung his sword in a powerful chop straight into the demon's head. Or, at least, where the head used to be. He's fast! As Inuyasha thought this and began to whip around, the crow demon's beak impaled him from behind through his left lower back (right where his rib cage ends). "Kre-he-he-he. These jewel shards that that baboon gave me really boost my agility and strength," he laughed/crowed/other birdly noise-ed as he drew out his beak. Because he had tasted Inuyasha's blood, his eyes grew more wild and he was somehow faster (I guess kind of like when you eat the other demon's heart to ingest its powers.I don't know, I don't write it, I report it. Wait.that's the same.never mind).  
  
Inuyasha put his hand on his wound and smiled grimly at the crow. "A baboon, huh? That bastard Naraku really does not know when to quit. Well, I'll just take your jewel shards and put a damper on his little monkey plan (hey, a baboon is not a monkey. A monkey has a tail and Naraku doesn't.does he?)."  
  
The crow narrowed its eyes, then launched itself at Inuyasha. However, this time the half-demon knew just what to do. He thrust his sword directly in front of him, nailing the bird through the chest. The demon's body stopped short because of the sword through its gut, so its beak just barely tickled Inuyasha's forehead (it would have gone through his skull had Krowten not been stopped). Or, at least, Inuyasha thought that it was the beak. When he looked up, he was slightly mortified to find an arrow poking his forehead. The bird had been decapitated from a low branch (just the lower half of its head is left.icky.) and the arrow was going through the neck.  
  
"K-Kagome.why did you fire that stupid arrow? I thought you said that I would kill it (am I sensing some crushed male ego?)." He hadn't moved and inch.  
  
Kagome smiled (he couldn't see this) and said, "I was just making sure that you weren't going to get yourself killed, that's all."  
  
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, MAKING SURE I WOULDN'T DIE? GET OVER HERE AND LOOK AT WHAT YOUR INTERVENTION DID! LOOK HOW CLOSE I CAME! I'M NOT MOVING UNTIL YOU LOOK! DEAR HEAVENS (when has he ever said THAT) NEVER DO THAT AGAIN!"  
  
"All right, all right," said Kagome humorously. "I'll look and see what poo' widdle Inuyasha couldn't handle on his own." She walked to the side so she could see what he was talking about.  
  
"Dear me.I came that close to killing you? Wow.." She walked closer and measured the distance with her finger. "Sheesh am I getting good at killing things!" Shippo (who had left Kagome's shoulders), Kirara, Miroku and Sango had all moved to get a better view of this and were equally impressed.  
  
"What the hell do you mean by that? Were you trying to kill me??" he asked angrily as he chucked the carcass aside and sheathed his sword.  
  
"Oh, wah. It's not like I actually did. Get the jewel shards already, okay?"  
  
"You idiot, YOU'RE the only one who can pick them up, remember? I had that convenient note pointed out to me by you, when you made me SIT UNTIL MY FACE WAS BRUISED ALL OVER WHEN I TRIED TO PICK UP SOME DAMN SHARDS."  
  
"Oh shut up before I get you neutered. Actually, wait, that might be a good idea.it would certainly control your hormonal mood swings.and then you couldn't add to the gene pool, and everyone would be happy about that.Inuyasha, what would you say if I asked if you wanted to get neutered?"  
  
"WHHHAT?" He looked shocked. Very shocked. Pale-in-the-face-and-wet-my- pants-you-better-be-joking-right shocked. Then he wheeled around and glared hotly at the others.  
  
"Quit laughing! The only one who should be getting neutered around here is MIROKU. HE'S the one who goes around creating a surplus, not me."  
  
Now it was Miroku's turn to pale horribly. Sango stopped laughing and seriously considered this possibility. "You know, I think that could work. He should be neutered.along with Shippo, too, I suppose."  
  
Shippo gagged on a laugh (gag.laugh.pun. Or not.) and his eyes bulged. "Why would I have to be neutered? WHAT HAVE I DONE?"  
  
"Well, Shippo," said Inuyasha, "I can see why Sango said that. You would provide spiritual and moral support for Miroku by undergoing the same procedure, strengthening your bond. Plus, no woman demon would ever want in your pants, and then it would be for the betterment of society, bow boy (he always wears a bow in his hair! IT ANNOYS ME.)."  
  
"WAAHHHH!" Shippo screamed. He tore off into the woods, and, since he couldn't see well because of his tears, promptly collided head-on with a tree, keeled over and passed out (sorry, Shippo fans! But it IS something he would do.).  
  
Inuyasha, the neutering forgotten, could not stop laughing at this. "Hahaha, Shippo haha.hahaha.haha.and then hahaha.." His eyes were tearing up (boo-hoo tear) and then he fell over, he was laughing so hard, and started rolling around (hopefully not in something dead).  
  
Kagome looked briefly worried, then decided that Shippo was fine and he would get up in about six hours with a mild concussion (thank goodness), since he seemed to be in a head-ramming stage of life. "Inuyasha, stop laughing at Shippo. He just collided blindly and head-on with a tree." and then she started giggling. "Stop laughing Inuyasha, laughter is contagious! Just like fleas, lice, yawning and.and.ARGH!"  
  
Sango and Miroku could not for the life of them figure out what was so funny. Shippo had just his a tree, it happened all the time. So then, why were those two laughing so hard since if they were going to make a vocal noise, it should have been a sigh or a chuckle or two, tops?  
  
"Some things never change," said Miroku as he sighed. Sango nodded, stopped suddenly and whammed Miroku with her gigantic boomerang in the stomach.  
  
"Ow, Sango, why did you do that? I didn't say anything lecherous that time."  
  
"That was for ending a chapter of a story with a cheesy, sappy line like that!" (Wait.how does Sango know? Who told her? WAS IT YOU? Oh no, my cover is blown.:: sprints away madly:: hehe.)  
  
"What do you mean, chapter? WHAT STORY?" Miroku wailed. He looked honestly (and pervertedly) confused with what Sango was talking about. Poor Miroku.perhaps he'll never learn.  
  
Wow! That's the end of the first chapter, and I decided to let you off without a cliffhanger ending. ( I'm so nice. I wanted to thank my computer for allowing me to press its buttons (no pun intended.seriously.) and myself for.um.being there.? Right, well. Also, I want to thank you, the reader, for getting this far in my story! I promise I'll get better as time goes on. Or at least I hope. But I can't express my gratitude to you that you chose to read my story! Hugs for everyone (not literally, mentally.) and, um, yay!  
  
*Note: the next chapter will not be so.how shall I say.cheerful happiness oriented. So please R & R (not rest and relax, although you could do that too!) and no, Kouga will not be appearing. I do not know him well enough to know what he's like. I'll struggle with what Rin's like too, but I need her in here. I won't say why! *  
  
*Second note: have a box of Kleenex provided. You can use the tissues as juggling scarves, wipes, hats, gauze, and as stocking stuffers! And you can use the box for a car, shoe, storage compartment or to hide your pet rattle in! So make sure to stock up on Kleenex, people! * 


	2. Falling

Hey! Thanks for writing! Um, maybe I was a LITTLE enthusiastic on the last chappie.sorry. I'm a weird one that way: I get excited over the weirdest things. Oh, and it took me a little while to update. Whoops! I don't have a.no wait, I can't say that (in Creative Writing, they say you can't have any disclaimers of how b-d your writing is.) I'll try to get better over time (give me 30 years and I think that will do it.). Oh, and it's kind of like a soap opera, so.sorry! I'm sappy. So, hold your chocobos patiently while I form words.  
  
Disclaimer: How many times do I have to tell you people, I don't own Inuyasha or anyone else, so QUIT CALLING ME about it! Sheesh, really!  
  
*Characters are a little OOC*  
  
Chapter 2: Falling  
  
Scene: grassy meadow, trimmed with forestry.  
  
Inuyasha, after a few sits and swears, finally agreed to allow Kagome to treat his wound only because she said that it would help her in her medical training, even though it would be sealed by the time she got to it.  
  
"Why are you always so eager to treat all my stupid cuts and bruises? I've told you, my body's special!" Inuyasha moaned. He was lying on his stomach with his shirt off while Kagome put salve on his lonely cut, although it already had a scab.  
  
She said nothing to this, but concentrated on rubbing. Her smell indicated to Inuyasha that she was in one of her rare moods and was taking it out on his poor cut. Therefore, he decided not to irritate her, which, if he did, would mean.more sitting. So he fake-slept.  
  
As Kagome was rubbing, suddenly Inuyasha's leg shot up, then fell back down. At first, Kagome was a little worriedly curious, so she rubbed the same spot (just beside the cut) and the same thing happened. Then Kagome grinned evilly. She had found his fiddle spot (spot on dogs where, when you rub it, they scratch the air with their leg and look at you like "Do you mind?"), and she was going to make the most of it.  
  
Inuyasha woke up rapidly and groaned as his side was bombarded with Kagome's finger's mad rubbing, which caused his leg to flail. "Ah.Kagome, stop tha-ahhh-t! I don't li-ahhh-ke that! Really! Oh that feels so good, it's bad! Stop! ARGH, STOP!" He didn't put much heart into his suggestion, though. He swung out his arm to hit her just enough to get the message across, but missed since she jumped up.  
  
"Ha, Inuyasha, I thought you were quicker than that! Bet you can't catch me!" Kagome yelled as she took off running.  
  
"Oh really? You don't think I can? Well, watch me!" He did his super-fast run and got right behind her. Just as he leaped to tackle her, however, she jumped to the side.  
  
"Haha, slowpoke! C'mon, keep up! I'm only human." She took off again toward the rest of the field.  
  
Or what she thought was the rest of the field.  
  
Inuyasha lay in the grass like a cheetah hunting its prey. However, Kagome thought that he was just being lazy, so she turned around.  
  
"Inuyasha! What are you, a slug? I think you're getting lazy in your old age! Haha-ah!" Her face became instantly frightened as she realized that there WAS no rest-of-the-field. Quite contrarily, what she was standing (or balancing) on was the lip of a rather large drop into a thread of water. Not to mention she was losing her balance to the wrong side.  
  
"KAGOME!" Inuyasha called and sprinted to grab her around the waist. He hoisted her into the air and chucked her onto the grassy field like a sack of potatoes.  
  
"Kagome, what were you thinking?" Inuyasha was staring at Kagome worriedly and he looked a little frightened. She looked genuinely frightened. She couldn't look at Inuyasha; all she could do was stare at the drop she might have made. "That wasn't there when I ran up to it."  
  
"What? You aren't making any sense.how can something not there just suddenly appear?"  
  
"Well, did you see it?"  
  
Inuyasha thought about this, then said, "Actually, no, I didn't. That is really weird. But Kagome.you could have been seriously hurt, maybe even have died."  
  
Now it was Kagome's turn to stare at Inuyasha. "Were you really that worried about me?"  
  
Uh-oh, Inuyasha thought, Should I tell her how I really feel.? He decided that he might as well do it now, in case she goes off and gets hurt again before he gets the chance.  
  
"Kagome, I.I really.um.look, I understand if you don't feel the same way or anything, but.I love you." He watched Kagome's down-turned face for any reaction. At first, she didn't do anything, but then a few tears dropped onto the grass. Inuyasha knew rejection when he saw it.  
  
"I'm sorry I put you on the spot.." Inuyasha sighed, then stood up from his crouching position and began to walk away.  
  
"I-it's just.I always.thought that you loved Kikyo."  
  
This made Inuyasha turn around and stare at the top of Kagome's head.  
  
She continued, "And I kept telling myself.that any loving attention you gave me was just because I look like Kikyo, and to not think that you cared about me, and that you only needed me for jewel shards." Kagome began to cry harder.  
  
Inuyasha kneeled back down with her and pulled her into a hug. He leaned his head toward hers and closed his eyes. "How could you ever think that, Kagome? You are so unlike Kikyo. Sure, you make look kind of like her, but it's you that's different. You know, Kikyo kept trying to change me, and you never did. I really respected and loved that about you."  
  
He pulled her back to look at her, as a father would to his son. Kagome's head lifted, and their eyes locked. Inuyasha leaned toward her, but jumped back quickly when he heard a crash in the trees. They turned to the direction of the noise, but as nothing presented itself, they turned back toward each other.  
  
"We should get going," whispered Inuyasha as he realized how long they had been gone from the camp. Kagome sighed, nodded and got up. They began to walk back toward where they had abandoned Sango, Shippo and Miroku.  
  
"Hey Inuyasha, I bet you anything it's going to rain," said Kagome happily as they walked along. Although it was sunny, she had the gut feeling that it was going to rain. Plus, a little bet never hurt anybody.  
  
"Of course it is. I can smell it. I am part dog after all," Inuyasha said matter-of-factly. He was wondering why she was bothering to point this out.  
  
"Right, right. But you know, I bet you can't tell when it's going to rain."  
  
"Kagome, why are you telling me this? I really don't care. So it's going to rain. So what?"  
  
She sighed dejectedly. "Oh come on, where's your competitive nature? Just say something!"  
  
Inuyasha, while a little bit afraid of this gambling Kagome, decided to comply. "Okay.I think it will rain toward this evening." He said it to humor her, although he knew it was wrong.  
  
Kagome giggled. "All right, it's a bet. Hehe." She began skipping ahead in her way-too-short green skirt. Inuyasha just sighed and kept his pace. He had been walking for a long time; he saw no need to rush now.  
  
He was about to say something when he collided with a wall. "Oww.I don't remember that being there. Oh heck, my nose." he said into his cupped hands. When he looked up, though, he did see a wall: a spirit shield wall. What's a spirit shield doing here? Inuyasha asked himself mentally. Just after he questioned the shield, he realized Kagome was skipping away from him on the other side. "Kagome! Turn back around here! HEY!" he yelled to get her attention.  
  
"Oh what now, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, a little annoyed. She turned around to face Inuyasha, and realized she had gotten into a bad situation. She yelped and ran toward Inuyasha's wall, looking for a way out. "Oh crud, how do I get out of this? Oh crud oh crud oh crud." she muttered anxiously as she turned around in place, looking for a way out. She had been sealed into a spirit shield dome: it had been created to keep only her in. Pounding madly on the wall, she feebly tried to break a way through the shiny colors.  
  
In that time, Inuyasha just stood rooted with his mouth slightly open. His mind was drawing a blank as to what on earth was going on. Face suddenly transformed into a snarl, he put his hand on the hilt of his sword and swore.  
  
Someone else was in that dome, and it was the worst person who would ever show up. That's right, the name we all cringe to hear.Naraku, the meddler in all that is decent.  
  
Kagome wheeled around the second she saw Inuyasha snarl. Her face dropped, her color fled and her heart rate suddenly went from normal to way-too- stressed. "Wh-what.why.you." she tried to say something, but gave up as she realized her brain wasn't processing right.  
  
Naraku's lips pulled into a demonic smile underneath his mask. "Oh, did I surprise you, reincarnation of Kikyo? I was so hoping that you would be glad to see me." he craned his head to his right and drawled, "I also see that we have an unexpected guest. Nice to see you again, Inu-endo (a gross misspelling of the word "innuendo"). How have you been with your collection of pots (Kikyo)?" Inuyasha roared at these insults and pounded the wall incessantly.  
  
"What are you planning to do with me?" Kagome asked coldly now that her head was working correctly. Her eyes were lit and her fists clenched. She also wished she had her bow and arrows to shoot this annoying parasite.  
  
This just made Naraku smile in a way that would make Caesar flinch. "You mean you do not know? Why, my pet, I plan to use you to track down the rest of the jewel shards. What else would I be after?"  
  
"Gee, how original, turd. I'll have to answer with the first answer that came to my mind: THERE IS NO WAY I WOULD EVER HELP YOU PERIOD."  
  
Naraku's smile lessened then grew back like a weed. "Then I will have to use my most effective way of persuasion," he sneered. He snaked a long tentacle out of his furry outfit.  
  
Kagome thought his "persuasion method" would be torture. However, it wasn't what she'd guessed.  
  
Inuyasha's pounding stopped as his body contorted with the horror he saw. Naraku had grabbed Kagome with one long, squid-like tentacle and was forcing her to endure a rather sloppy kiss. Naraku seems to be under the false impression that he is sexy. How sad. Inuyasha howled with enough force to tear down a small building and began to hack at the wall with Tetsusaiga madly.  
  
Kagome had gone into a state of shock. Not only was this her first kiss, it was with a sliceable slimeball. She held down her natural reaction of retching into his mouth and just concentrated on how she was going to kill him after this was over. This proved difficult as he kept trying to shove his tongue down her throat and she had to keep struggling. Her lips began to burn with the contacted evil. Wait.thought Kagome; if I have purification powers and he's pure evil.oh will I have fun. She smiled internally and pulled Naraku's head closer to hers.  
  
Inuyasha stopped cutting the spirit shield and just stared. This appeared to be an alternate reality where Kagome was willingly smooching the most evil and revolting thing he'd ever seen. Suddenly realizing what Kagome was doing, Inuyasha smiled slowly.  
  
Naraku had also realized why Kagome was kissing him back, although a little too late. He tried to pull his head back, but Kagome's hands kept him in place. He tried to squirm, but the only thing that changed was the purification's speed seeping through his body. Panicking, he did the only thing that he could think of at that moment. He brought another of his tentacles out from his baboon skin, reared it back and ran it through Kagome.  
  
Eyes widening, Kagome barely kept focused with the pain going through her middle. Have to kill Naraku.for Inuyasha.. She used all of her remaining strength to hold Naraku's tentacle in her. He gave a muffled wail and twisted his mutated arm around. Kagome pulled her head back and gasped with the burning. Being the coward that he is, Naraku dropped Kagome off of his tentacle and hightailed it out of there, although severely damaged.  
  
Inuyasha sprinted to Kagome the second the shield fell. He flipped her right side up, and gasped with the sight he saw and the blood he smelled. Hugging her small body to him, he tried to get any sign of life from her. "Kagome, please don't die. We need you here. I need you here. Oh Kagome."  
  
"Inu.yasha," Kagome said weakly into Inuyasha's right shoulder. This made him hug her closer, trying to protect her from death. "I'm not going to."  
  
"Shh.You're gonna be okay, all right? Just hold on until we get Kaede." Inuyasha said in a comforting whisper. "Just hold on. You're strong enough to do this, Kagome. Hang on." He tried to keep himself calm for Kagome's sake, but his resolve was fading fast. "I'll pick you up, and then."  
  
"I can't move. If you move me, I'll surely pass. Just.do one thing for me, Inuyasha." She could feel the life seeping from her rapidly.  
  
"Anything," he said quietly into her hair.  
  
"Will you tell me.when you first knew that you loved me? I've always wanted to know."  
  
"Sure, Kagome. But you'll have to tell me the same thing after I'm done, okay?"  
  
"Mmm." No longer did she have the energy to say words.  
  
"Hmm, let's see.I think it was that fight with Yuna of the Hair. When she singed you, I was so worried that you'd died. You always seem to get into those situations, don't you? But we always get through them.but I was worried about you then, and then with the Thunder Brothers, when Hiten." he kept talking desperately, trying to keep his emotions under control. He was looking for any type of distraction.  
  
As was Kagome. She could no longer feel anything except a desperate sleepiness that was seeping ever faster. In fact, the only thing keeping her conscious was Inuyasha's voice. She dimly realized Inuyasha's voice cracked, then let out a sigh and relaxed into Inuyasha's body.  
  
He felt her go, and then he stopped rambling. He had failed in his one duty to protect her. He had promised her he always would, and when she had needed him most he had been utterly useless. A wave of sadness and desperation washed over him.  
  
Inuyasha felt raindrops falling on him, but he no longer cared. Turning his head up to the sky, he howled with all his might; howling for the pain he had caused Kagome and others, for the pain he had to endure, and for his unspoken revenge on Naraku for what he had done to him again.  
  
Then he rested his cheek on Kagome's forehead. Closing his eyes, he allowed himself to be shot with the full misery that was his. His tears mixed with the raindrops as he said sadly; "You were right, Kagome, it did rain today."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Kikyo listened to her soul-carrying demon. Smiling evilly to herself, she sent it away. "Hmm, so Naraku finally did it? Good. For there can only be one Kikyo in this time." Laughing like a maniac (which she is, of course,) she walked on to the next town to heal their ailing inhabitants.  
  
That's the end of the 2nd chappie! Wasn't it sad? Oh well. I told you that you needed Kleenex. Sorry if I dwelled on the death thing too much; it's what I felt the most emotion for. (Inuyasha: YOU KILLED OFF THE LOVE OF MY LIFE! YOU LITTLE. me: Hey, it's part of the plot, dimwad.) However, while this chappie may be a little.um.sad, it's okay! Because life always ends out okay in the end (I never said for whom!) Please R&R and tell me what you think!  
  
PS-I'm having a contest: who can come up with the most creative idea for Kleenex (tissues and/or box)! The winner will be mentioned in my story.not kidding! 


	3. Desperation

Hello again, my fellow internet-goers! Sorry I haven't been responding to any of your reviews; I do have school, so.time is limited! Like I should be reading in my biology book right now, but I forgot it.bad me. Oh well.here're some responses to your reviews!  
  
skittymct90: Thanks so much! It's nice to be appreciated!  
  
dancing barefoot in my socks: Thank you for that too! And doesn't Kleenex rock? Nice to know my story's loved.  
  
Ria4118: Thanks bunches, Ria. Can I call you Ria? I'll try.please don't hurt me.anyway, thanks for the constructive criticism. And by accident (or by my creepy subconscious, I'll never know) I used the word innuendo in my story! Creepy! Hehe and I'll have trouble incorporating any laughter into my story.to do so might be considered morbidly evil.  
  
I appreciate all of my 3 reviews! It means so much to my sad self! And right now Shake Yo Tailfeathers is on so I gotta dance hang on.all right, I got my dancing out of my system so I can sit back down and type! I really do like to think other people are reading my story but aren't reviewing (glares evilly at anonymous readers) bwa haha I'm "special".  
  
What, is no one going to compete in my Kleenex competition? WILL NO ONE BE MENTIONED? Does anyone care? (Me: sad! Me: are you talking to yourself again? Me: so what if I am? Me: quit it, it's weird. Me: quit telling me what to do. Me: I AM you. Me: shuddup, shuddup, it's not true! Me: that special moment was brought to you by a sugar high!)  
  
Now, everyone know what a chocobo is? I was riding one today.fun fun times ten. Anyway, I've decided that since I'll be updating sporadically, you might not remember what happened (are you THAT senile? Jk, don't hurt me, I get hit enough in volleyball.) so I'll remind you. KAGOME IS DEAD AND INUYASHA IS HEARTBROKEN. NARAKU IS OFF SOMEWHERE AND KIKYO IS A LITTLE NUTTER (like Houji in Rurouni Kenshin! Has anyone seen the last fight w/ Shishio besides me?). SANGO, MIROKU AND SHIPPO HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HAS HAPPENED. BUYO IS OFF DOING KITTY THINGS. Now to resume the story! When you're sad, laugh! Unless you're in a funeral.then do whatever comes naturally (not toilet things, please).  
  
NOTE: thoughts will now be in single quotation marks because italics won't appear in my story (depressing, non?) and that makes me mad.  
  
*PEOPLE, THE CHARACTERS ARE OOC. HOW MANY TIMES MUST I INFORM YOU?*  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of his perilous situations. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi, who has popped up on spell check. However, I do sadly own an empty Reese's cup bag, which is why I am so nutty.  
  
Chapter 3: Desperation  
  
Inuyasha and Kagome had been gone for a while. Neither Sango, Miroku nor Shippo knew what was taking so long. However, Miroku knew how to pass the time.  
  
Miroku looked off in between the trees. "Oh, Shippo, I see them! Look, go greet them!" He said in a fake-excited voice. Shippo smiled excitedly and ran off. Miroku took this to full advantage. He reached out to grope Sango, and in reward was knocked off his log perch by the gigantic boomerang. "Oro." he wailed.  
  
Shippo came skipping sadly back. "What am I supposed to see?" he asked dejectedly. Sango looked at Miroku lying on the forest floor then said "You should see a sad man at the end of his rope." Shaking her head, she scanned the woods for any sign of activity.  
  
"I see them! Guys, I see them! Look!" Miroku, now returned to his sitting position, pointed excitedly at the foggy shadows in between the trees. Sango sighed, wondering how many times in a row he was planning to pull this joke.  
  
"Houshi, will you stop trying to kid around? I want to know when they actually get here, so you're not helping." Sango kept scanning the woods. Then she saw the faint outline with long hair and pointed ears carrying something. The thing being carried didn't seem to be moving, which was never a good sign (actually, depends on the scenario). The figure moved with a slowness in his step, as if it no longer had the will to live. As it approached, Sango realized that something was wrong.  
  
"What happened, Inuyasha? Why are you carrying Kagome?" Shippo asked, trying desperately to get a reaction from Kagome by madly jumping around. However, she didn't move. Shippo stopped hopping and stared at the underside of Kagome, unable to see her topside. Apparently, Sango and Miroku could, because their eyes had bulged in shock and they were grabbing each other's arms for support, which they never did.  
  
"Inuyasha, is Kagome even." Miroku let the question dangle. Inuyasha hadn't moved his drooped head the whole time, and now it sank even lower so no one could see his face. Miroku decided that that was the answer to his question and promptly sank into the damp forest floor. Sango went down with him a few seconds later and they both stared ahead at nothing, too shocked to even cry. Shippo, however, began bawling.  
  
"KAGOME! KAGOME, WAKE UP! I WANT KAGOME! WAAH!" he howled into the soundless twilight. The howl echoed deep into the forest, disturbing some birds from their evening perches. The ground had cooled, the sun was setting and the night creatures had begun to wake up. But none of this registered into the group's minds. All they cared about was that Kagome was gone.  
  
"Inuyasha.you can let go of Kagome now. The least we can do is give her a proper burial." Her voice cracking, she buried her head into Miroku's left shoulder, allowing him to wrap his arms around her in comfort. Inuyasha had no such luxury, just as Shippo didn't.  
  
His head jerked up, and you could see the tear streaks running down his damp face (it had been raining last time we checked.) A fresh army of tears marched their way down his face and dropped onto his red shirt (kind of shirt) as he said, "Sango, I can't. That would be giving up all hope. There has to be something we can do; anything would be better.. Just give me time and I'll think of something."  
  
Shippo had never seen Inuyasha cry, so the new emotion Inuyasha was showing alarmed him. "Inuyasha, the only thing you can do is.tell us what happened. We have to know," he wailed, tears tapering as he prepared to listen to what had happened.  
  
After he had told them what had happened, Inuyasha's face had changed with hatred and anger. "I'm going to kill that little son of a bitch. I swear that-"  
  
Miroku interrupted, "Inuyasha, your sword won't revive Kagome. Your sword will not help, so quit trying to use it." He sighed tiredly and closed his eyes. Inuyasha stared at the leaves littering the ground in realization. He slowly looked up at Miroku.  
  
"You're right, I can't use my sword to fix this. But Sesshomaru can-with his Tenseiga. He can bring Kagome back to life." Inuyasha shifted Kagome in his arms and began to walk toward Sesshomaru's lands (somewhere west, I don't know where exactly.)  
  
"Inuyasha, what do you plan to barter to get him to do such a thing?" asked Miroku, glancing up as Inuyasha's footsteps crunched through the trees.  
  
"I'll think of something to get him to do revive Kagome," said Inuyasha. The rest of the group collected their items dejectedly and traipsed after him.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Sesshomaru was not one to venture outside much, so the morning's walk in the garden with Rin was unexpected. "Rin, why don't you walk with Jakken instead of me? He would love to be outside with you, and I have things to do." He made as if to go back inside, but Rin's voice stopped him.  
  
"Rin wants Daddy Sesshy (does she call him this? Oh well) to pick flowers with Rin! Jakken smells; Jakken needs to stay inside so he won't ruin lovely air." Rin skipped ahead, black hair trailing down her outfit. Jakken sighed at this remark, then continued his march behind Lord Sesshomaru (voted sexiest demon alive by 8/10 fingers!)  
  
Sesshomaru rolled his eyes internally and kept walking slowly. Pausing briefly, he inhaled the wind blowing in his face. 'Do I smell.the scent of Inuyasha, blood, humans and a cat demon? Of course.the motley crew of outcasts has decided to attack my home. Well, I will give them no such pleasure. Stupid humanesque (not an actual word, but hey, it fits) dog.. His life ends here; and his meaningless existence with it (adapted quote from Seymour, voted most repulsive Guado "alive" 19 times in a row *erlack, he's sickening; a rival to Naraku, even*)!'  
  
Sesshomaru took off running, abandoning Rin with Jakken at her side. "Daddy Sesshy?" Rin questioned, then turned her curious gaze to Jakken. "Rin's gonna have fun with Toady." Rin trailed off, an evil glint catching in her eye.  
  
"Oh no.LORD SESSHOMARU! RIN'S GOING TO HURT ME! AAAAAHHH!" Jakken shrieked unmanly as he raced away from his pursuer. Sesshomaru ignored Jakken, however, and arrived at the boundary of his Western Lands.  
  
Panting lightly, Sesshomaru waited for Inuyasha to show himself on the flat plains leading into the Western Lands. He didn't have long to wait, though; almost a minute after Sesshomaru was stationed, Inuyasha appeared, the rest of his pack in tow.  
  
"Well well, dear relation, what brings you to show your mixed face on my lands?" Sesshomaru asked coolly. Inuyasha raised his head slowly, as if it weighed 70 pounds more than it should. He met Sesshomaru's stare with anger and sorrow, an unusual combination for the pup. Magically aware of Kagome's lifeless presence in Inuyasha's arms, Sesshy continued, "Oh, I see. There's the new love of your life. And she's dead as well? You just seem to have a curse, don't you? Next thing you know HER reincarnation will fall down a well and then you'll fall in love with her."  
  
Inuyasha grimaced painfully and hugged Kagome closer to his chest. "I didn't come here to be insulted, Sesshomaru. I came to ask you something, and you have no idea how hard it is to do so," he snarled out.  
  
"Really? What is it?" He seemed interested, which meant his voice rose a fraction of a pitch.  
  
"As you know, Kagome is-gone, and I-we wanted you to hopefully revive her with Tenseiga."  
  
"And what would I get out of this exchange?"  
  
"Our undying gratitude?" Miroku offered. Sesshomaru's icy glare silenced him from further comment, though. Poor Miroku; he tries so hard to make everything okay.  
  
"Of course, human. Your 'undying gratitude' would leave me well off in the demonesque (okay, quit making up words with "esque" on the end!) world. How about we try this again; what would I get out of this exchange?" He paused for an answer. When all he received were the drooped heads of the comrades, he turned to head towards his castle. "So sorry, then, I suppose I can't help you," he said over his shoulder as he walked away.  
  
"I'LL GIVE YOU TETSUSAIGA!" Inuyasha screamed at him. His outburst echoed across the empty plains. He said again, voice under control, "I'll give you Tetsusaiga in exchange for Kagome's life." He stood panting, waiting. Miroku, Sango and Shippo stared at him, confuddled (hey dancing barefoot, guess who's word that is).  
  
Sesshomaru turned around slowly then said with a devious, sexy smile, "I think something can be arranged, then."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Wow, that's the end of the third chapter? Is anyone still out there reading this? ARE ALL MY EFFORTS FOR NOTHING? :: Breaks down sobbing:: NOO I THOUGHT YOU CARED! WHY? Hehe, it's okay. I'm fine. Just remember, if you read all the mangas you can lay your hands on, your life's problems will be solved (hey, I don't know about that, but they might be)! Remember to do your homework!  
  
**Bazooie-chan, who really should be writing and English paper at this  
moment but was sidetracked by her brain and the computer.  
  
PS- This has been my shortest chapter!  
  
PPS- Things Seymour Flux was also voted: least sexiest man ever, most times spent bugging me, the WILL NOT GO DOWN award, most repulsive kiss (in second came Shishio Matoko), Weirdest chest tattoos and/or chest hair, Creepiest wrinkles award, Poochiest belly in all of Spira, The "Damn Him, What's His Problem" certificate, The "How Many Times Can One Bloody Person Keep Annoying Me?" trophy and The least aspired-to-be Guado in all of Guadosalam.  
  
For those of you who do not know who this person is: THANK YOUR LUCKY STARS YOU DON'T.  
  
*This is what happens when I eat junk food, so.bwa haha maybe I should cut it off?  
  
PPPS- Sesshomaru, Kenshin and Akito Hayama are all rather sexy and deserve their own awards. For those of you who do not know Akito Hayama: you poor things. 


	4. Changes in Attitude

Hellos.remember me? (Me: no. Me: did I ask you? Me: talk to THEM, not to me.) Humph. I shall respond to some of your reviews (key word: respond)(did you think that was the key word?).  
  
Kitsune hanyou-hm, interesting name. I like. Yes, the plot does thicken. Bwahaha.  
  
Brekke rider of gold Wirenth-No, Inuyasha never had a soft side. But I WANT him to have one, because he is cute (. I don't know how to receive unsigned reviews. I am frightened. Computers are not my friends (which is ironic, because I'm typing on one..). I wanted to make Rin "attack" Jakken (not literally, just like a game of tag). Maybe that didn't come across? Oh well. Interesting use for Kleenex.I think Heidi (my dog) will definitely have a long sit about that one (she'd have a long sit anyway.)  
  
Dancing barefoot in my socks-you meddle in all that is decent? Wah. Oh well.bwahaha because so do I. Yes, dramatic sadness is my specialty (comes from watching too many soaps.like dial (hehe).) Akito Hayama is in Kodocha, which is a really cool and funny manga by Miho Obana. It's soo funny, you'd love it. But, Akito is really cute and he is constantly transforming into a cheetah (just with ears and a tail. It's so cute!) No, I did not make Seymour up (although I WISH I did.then I wouldn't have to watch him.but I finally nailed him!) and yes, your word was used. Hehe. That is also an interesting use of Kleenex. I like separating Kleenex by color. It would be special.  
  
Ria4418-you mean YOU weren't YOU? Sheesh, way to confuse me. Oh well, that happens all the time anyway. I do love the one-way conversations. Seymour is nasty and words with "esque" are special! However it only works with adjectives.poo. But don't worry, the more stories you put out, the better chance you'll have of being found (I'm one to say that, with only *hack one choke* story. My stories are reviewed in creative writing, though, so I'm all reviewed out.) Tell your friend I appreciated the constructive criticism. Bwahaha. That's what, the fourth bwahaha?  
  
Well, now that I've said that.I must announce the winner of the Kleenex competition.Maybe I should build suspense longer. Hehe, psyche. The winner is I! (Me: you can't do that, you RAN the competition! Me: sure I can. Me: then what was the use for Kleenex? Me: well, erm, um.it was..okay, so I didn't win. Me: that's what I THOUGHT. Me: *gollum* You're so mean to me! Go away, and never return! Me: We wants the cashews.gives them to us now! Me: Argh, shoo, for the last time! I lost them, okay? Me: how can you lose a week's worth of cashews? Me: um, erm? Me: Oh my goodness.) That was a mighty long conversation. The winner will now be mentioned. Congrats to-oh heck, I can't chose between the only two contestants. CONGRATS TO BREKKE RIDER OF GOLD WIRENTH AND DANCING BAREFOOT IN MY SOCKS!! If you want to know their entries, you can read the reviews. I won't type them because they are really long. Yay, you two!  
  
*DISCLAIMER-a noun meaning, "to deny one's claim to something". For those of you who still do not understand, look it up in a dictionary, because that's the best I can do. I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA, NO MATTER HOW MUCH I BEG MY PARENTS TO BUY HIS FRANCHISE (okay, I don't know if there IS one.) However, give me a magic marker and I will create Inupasha, the not-quite- but-oh-so-close-to-infringing-on-copyrights manga. Oh heck, I can't draw. Just give me a sock for Christmas.  
  
Note: These characters are OOC. As in really a lot. So please don't hurt me. That would be mean anyway, considering that I haven't updated in so long because of homework.  
  
Chapter 4: Changes in Attitude*  
  
"I'LL GIVE YOU TETSUSAIGA!" Inuyasha screamed at him.  
  
Sesshomaru turned around slowly then said with a devious, sexy smile, "I think something can be arranged, then." He paced towards his younger brother, smile dropping steadily with each step.  
  
Cocking his head, Sesshomaru gazed at this young girl. 'She does not appear to be anything more than human,' he thought. 'Then why does my brother care for her so?' He stared at her for a long time, then tipped his head to meet Inuyasha's steely glare.  
  
"You don't look at her like you can eat her," the half-demon said, then adjusted Kagome in his arms so that she was tilting towards him.  
  
"Hmph," responded Sesshomaru, "Well, do you want me to save her or not?" Inuyasha's gaze flickered briefly, then turned downward. Turning to address the rest of the party, Sesshomaru said, "Well, I suppose if I am to do anything, you must come into my lands." He stared at them, clearly thinking that what he had said was enough to get them moving.  
  
Sango held onto Kirara protectively, glaring at Sesshomaru with tears glinting in her eyes. Miroku was also glaring at the Lord of the Western Lands (a/n: Where ARE the western lands, anyway? West, duh, but.we never really SEE them), while Inuyasha was shaking slightly with his head turned down. Shippo, of course, was ruining the moment by watching a lonely butterfly flutter along, searching for food. Leave it to him to ruin the moment.  
  
His attention was redirected abruptly, however, when a flash of light sliced the poor butterfly neatly in two. "Wh-what?" he stuttered, then turned to look at Sesshomaru holding his energy whip in his hand. The demon tucked the weapon back into his belt and lifted his head.  
  
Sesshomaru aimed his best icy glare at Shippo, then softened his eyes slightly so as not to overwhelm the poor whelp. He scanned the five with his regal gaze. "Are you able to move now?" he said. He turned around to march back into his domain, allowing his beautiful white hair to swish behind him. His sensitive ears picked up Jakken's wails and Rin's laughter, apparently coming closer. 'Damn that useful toad,' he thought. 'He cannot even handle a ten-year old human. How pathetic.'  
  
He heard the crunching of footsteps behind him and allowed a trace of a smile to cross his face. 'At least they listen when persuaded.' He walked up the stone steps leading into his looming, cold, gray castle. It formed a square, with a large tower on each corner. On the inside, however, was a warm garden with a small lake he had constructed just for Rin, although he would never admit it. As long as no important demon ever saw it, his reputation would go unmarred.  
  
"Hey, Sesshomaru," Inuyasha said as he walked up the steep stone stairs.  
  
"What, younger brother," Sesshomaru said, voice level.  
  
"You have the same problem as me, so don't go acting all high and mighty when you know you're the same."  
  
"What ARE you talking about?" he asked as they reached a level plain about 20 feet from the entrance to his castle.  
  
Sesshomaru detected a note of smugness in the half-demon's voice as he said, "You and your affection for humans. Like with Rin; you will never admit it, but you care about her."  
  
He had to confront this statement, this LIE. Okay, he knew it was not necessarily a lie, but it would crush his status at any rate. "Listen to me, YOUGER BROTHER. I carry not the same affections that you carry for that wench in your arms. I will never harbor them for a HUMAN, at any matter."  
  
"Then why does she live with you, because you hate her?"  
  
"Rin was a test subject for my Tenseiga, allowing me to gauge its power. She is nothing more to me. Because I am sure Jakken would hate to lose his playmate, I cannot throw her out." Inuyasha's muzzle curled into a strained smile as he looked past Sesshomaru's shoulder. His eyes danced in shallow amber delight, underlined by a cruel sadness.  
  
Sesshomaru turned around, suddenly feeling worn out as he realized what he saw. Rin was staring at him, her eyes moist and bottom lip quivering. She clutched a small group of red daisies in her arms, squeezing them tight enough so if they had eyes, they would be bulging.  
  
"Rin has brought roses for Sesshomaru," she said, thrusting them at her adopted father. Once he had securely grasped them, she whipped around and sprinted away towards the garden. Jakken clutched his knees and panted as she raced past him, wafting his robe (a/n: it looks more like a potato sack).  
  
He studied the daisies for a moment, wondering why she had chosen that specific moment to present them to him. Then, as a wave of emotion filled him, he whipped his head to face his scrawny brother, with his malicious smile. He did not need any effort to pour out his emotion through his eyes this time. "You will pay for that, half brother, as soon as I have both our father's swords."  
  
The half-demon's smile lessened slightly but held. "If you really didn't care for her, she had a right to know. That way she could see what a horrible thing you actually are and then leave you to rot alone."  
  
He knew his eyes were flaring red, and he was suppressing his inner demon as best he could. He did not want to make his situation with Rin worse by transforming into his demon form and frightening her into cardiac arrest. He did allow a mangled growl to escape his throat as a challenge, though, just to save some of his pride from his bratty younger brother. "Consider yourself lucky that you have that fang sword now, for you will not once I revive your wench. And then I will extract my revenge, cur."  
  
Sesshomaru walked through the sturdy wooden door, followed by the rest of the troupe. He marched down the banal hallway, slapping his hand against various doors. "One for each of you," he said with each slap. "Be sure not to dirty them too much. Especially the fox whelp." He heard muffled sounds of protest coming from the said fox demon, and this brought him some small joy to calm him. He arrived at his study, where he had a bed placed just in case he got tired, but still wanted to read. "You can put the wench on that. I'll tend to her after I eat," he said as Inuyasha obeyed.  
  
He was strangely curious at this human lying on his bed, with a white shirt that was now stained russet red. Her skirt was cut rather short for his taste, but the green flattered her dark hair. Sesshomaru still did not understand how his cur of a brother could be so mad about her that he would virtually offer his life to him. Inuyasha leaned away from her, then brushed past Sesshomaru towards the door. Sesshomaru turned to follow his progress. "You should most likely get some sleep while I eat," he said, "so that you will stay out of my way while I revive the wench."  
  
"Don't call her wench, Sesshomaru," Inuyasha said, back facing Sesshomaru. He then turned out into the hallway and walked away. The two humans looked at each other, then at him. They followed suit soon after, the little fox demon trailing on the man's shoulder.  
  
Snorting, Sesshomaru followed them and turned into the neighboring room, the kitchen. As he crunched on some salty pieces of meat, he thought about what he would do once he did get his brother's sword. Definitely kill the former wielder, but then what? He did not know yet, but he figured he could improvise.  
  
Over his chewing noise, Sesshomaru thought he heard a whooshing sound coming from just outside the room. He decided to ignore it, as he could smell nothing dangerous about it. He did smell the standard demon smell, though. It was probably his brother, since he has the same smell. No matter.  
  
Sesshomaru did not know how much that dismissal would matter in his days to come.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Well, that's chappie four. Wasn't it a blast? Of course it was. So this chappie was short as well; so what? *Oh, did you notice the asterisk at the beginning of the chappie? I put it there because it reminded me of Jimmy Buffet's "Changes in Attitude, Changes in Latitude, Nothing Remains Quite the Same" song. I'm not sure of the title.  
  
I will mention the two contest winners in the next chappie. This one was to chock-full of stuff. Not really, but oh well.  
  
See you next time!  
  
bazooie-chan, who should be doing her science as we speak. 


	5. I forgot the chapter title, so just read...

Hello for the fifth time! Aren't you getting sick of me? Well too bad. Mwahaha. I've decided to switch from bwahaha to mwahaha. Aren't you proud? Now for some reviewer responses!  
  
Dancing barefoot in my socks-um, I didn't know that I'd said I would announce the winners! I meant that I would INCORPORATE the winners into the story. Whoopsies, slip of the fingers/tongue! Sorry I got the Jimmy Buffet song stuck in your head! Wait, no I'm not.  
  
Brekke rider of gold Wirenth-yes, we will have to discuss our plans. The world-I mean, radish farms-will have it coming soon.... I am glad you enjoyed it. You said that, didn't you? I hope so. However, if you did not, too bad. You will find out what Sesshomaru heard eventually. Just wait while I build up suspense in my bubble.  
  
Ria4418-yes, oh goodness yes, continue your story! BTW, people; if you haven't read it.do! It's good. It's called "A Thief's Handbook" and it's about Kagome and this ancient artifact and whoa I have GOT to calm down and stop eating so much candy. It's okay, I don't mind getting late reviews either. Glad you like my fanfic!  
  
Now, as I am getting old (er), I will have to remind myself where I was in my story. Ah yes, Sesshomaru had just smelled something outside the door and dismissed it. WHAT A FOOL HE IS. BECAUSE OF THAT, THE STORY WILL ENDURE FOR AT LEAST ONE MORE CHAPTER THAN IT SHOULD! MAYBE EVEN TWO! Seriously, though, I can never badmouth Sesshomaru. He is soo sexy! Ah those eyes and that hair are so mmm. Hehe got carried away again (by stretchers).  
  
Now, for the moment you all have been waiting for-my departure! Jk, jk. Heeeere's the fifth chappie!  
  
Disclaimer: I hope you know what this means. If not, look it up. Why should I have to explain it to you? What are you, five? (Toddler: Yes, I am fwive. Me: Well, isn't that cute. Look it up. Toddler: No way, hosie. Me no wanna look up vword becwause me no readie till mommie wake up. Me: Oh...kay. That works, I guess.) At any rate, I do not own Inuyasha, nor do I own much else. I am glad I do not own some things, such as Naraku (who is done in my story) and a hive of wasps that eat human flesh.  
  
Chapter 5: The Turnaround  
  
Sesshomaru opened the door out of the kitchen, expecting to confront Inuyasha. However, once he had scanned the hallway and viewed nothing, he proceeded towards Rin's garden. 'I really should make Rin feel better. Or at least make amends by letting her torture Jakken.'  
  
Shading his eyes, Sesshomaru stepped into the blinding sunlight. Once he could see, he looked around the pale green garden, hunting for his "adopted" daughter. There were so many daisies and other flowers, Sesshomaru almost felt like curling up in a ball to hide it from view. The sheer and utter cuteness of this place made it almost impossible for him to retain his icy air. He both cursed and praised this place, as it could always provide a cool sleeping place in the hot summer afternoons and a bathing pond. He especially loved resting in the shade of a water oak (a/n: Quercus nigra) and watching Rin romp around and find pleasure in the smallest things. How she had become so much of his life, he never knew. Just one day, he cared about her, a HUMAN, of all things. He cursed the reminder the garden showed him each time he visited.  
  
He found Rin cooling her feet in the pool in the center of the garden, snuffling slightly and stroking a tulip gently. While his insides ached suddenly for her, he refused to let emotion betray his presence. His hand pined to stroke her raven hair in comfort, but he held it in check.  
  
Rin lifted her head, and looked behind her at her father figure. "Sesshomaru is not mad at Rin?" She asked, searching his eyes.  
  
Kneeling so that their eyes were even, Sesshomaru snorted softly. 'How can she even think that?' He shook his head internally, then said, "No, Rin, I am not mad at you. I never was. Listen, about what I said-"  
  
Rin shook her head at him as if HE were the idiot child. "Sesshy, I know why you said that." This caused him to raise one silvery eyebrow slightly at her. She continued, "You said it because you hate the macaroon and you wanted to make him wiggle like Jakken." She smiled proudly immediately after she finished and put down her tulip on the grass.  
  
Sesshomaru was confused by what she had said. "Macaroon? Maca-oh, you mean moron." Then he smiled devilishly, one of his rare facial expressions where death does not follow soon after. "You mean my cur of a hound of a brother. He brought his wench here to be fixed like your clothes."  
  
Rin smiled at their joke. "She needs sewing at her seams? Oh wait, that was teddy. She has a hole?"  
  
"A rather large one, but not one I cannot handle without a bit of help." He gazed at Rin in a fatherly manner.  
  
Rin's face lightened even more as the sun played on her cheeks. "Oh, oh, me! ME! Can we put her in the sewing pile!" After she had once sewed a hole in her own clothes, (more of it was done by Jakken, the housewife) she had become obsessed with sewing things in masses. A human would be even more interesting.  
  
'She should be a healer,' Sesshomaru thought. "Well, we cannot SEW her, but I can use Tenseiga on her like I did you."  
  
"TENSEIIIGAAA!" Rin wailed as she picked up her tulip and scrambled to stand. She raced around the garden, whipping around her flower like a sword to defeat any stray macaroons.  
  
"Sesshomaru, get your kid to shut the hell up!" Inuyasha said, glowering at his older brother as he stepped into the garden. He had crossed his arms and was grimacing, a sure sign that he was not in one of his better moods.  
  
"Die, macaroon!" Rin screamed as she ran to Inuyasha and started beating him with her tulip (a/n: a bad joke: flower power).  
  
Inuyasha responded as he looked at her as if she were a disease. "Macaroon? What in all the-what have you been telling her?" he asked his brother.  
  
"Nothing that was not true, cookie boy." Sesshomaru lifted the very corners of his mouth in a smile, then narrowed his eyes at the pup. "She formed her own opinions about you after seeing you, and has obviously taken a dislike to you."  
  
Inuyasha attempted to fend off the tulip without killing the wielder, figuring that that would make Sesshomaru unwilling to heal Kagome. He saw Miroku approach with Sango, withholding laughter as best they could. 'Have they forgotten why we're even here?' He thought, snarling both mentally and physically.  
  
"What're you two laughing at?" Inuyasha screamed, much to the delight of everyone around him. He grabbed Rin's arms and pressed them into her sides, causing her to cry out more in distress than in immediate pain. "Do you even remember why we're here?"  
  
"Get your hands off Rin," said Sesshomaru, face darkened considerably. His hand was resting tensely at his side, getting ready to destroy his brother should he prove insubordinate. The laughter had instantly dissipated, and that seemed ironic considering their surroundings. A heated air had appeared between the two dog demons.  
  
"Heal Kagome and I will," Inuyasha said, tightening his grip on Rin. Sango and Miroku protested this, trying to remind Inuyasha whom he was dealing with.  
  
"You are in no position to order me around, cur."  
  
"Wanna bet?" They held a staring contest, neither backing down. Rin, now seeing her chance, bit her captor's arm and drew blood. Flailing, Inuyasha let her go. However, Rin was still attached to his arm, so he began swinging his right arm around to get her off. He managed to get her off, flinging her into some bushes with a solid thwack.  
  
Sesshomaru's hand latched across his brother's throat and threatened to snap it. "What do you think you were doing?" he asked, shaking Inuyasha and dangling him in the air. "Did you forget who owned this castle and ultimately you, you humanesque cretin?"  
  
Throwing Inuyasha into a wall, Sesshomaru parted the bushes, picked up Rin, turned and placed her down. "Are you all right?" he asked her. She nodded, and he turned to face Inuyasha who had gotten up. "You forget what I can do."  
  
"Feh." Inuyasha walked to group with Sango and Miroku, and the trio walked back into the castle.  
  
"Feh indeed," Sesshomaru said to no one in particular, then walked into the castle as well, leaving Rin to frolic.  
  
He entered the wench's room, drawing Tenseiga. 'I might as well heal his woman; that way they'll leave faster.' He swung his sword into Kagome, cutting the death demons away from her. She began to draw breath, slowly at first, then normally. Yet she did not awaken as she should. Sesshomaru cocked his head curiously, then his face pulled back into a slight expression of horror.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
There shall now be some good ol' F-grade humor. Meaning that THE WINNERS OF THE CONTEST WILL NOW BE IN THE STORYLINE! KIND OF. This will be a different format than the normal story, so please bear with me. Inuyasha and his gang were walking down the hallway....  
  
Miroku: Why did you feel compelled to challenge Sesshomaru?  
  
Sango: Yea, that was pretty stupid to do, Inuyasha.  
  
Inuyasha: Shaddup!  
  
Inuyasha: Say, where are we going?  
  
Miroku: To get something to eat.  
  
Shippo : Yay! I dibs a chicken liver!  
  
Sango, Miroku, and Inuyasha: What the hell? Did you just pop out of a-  
  
Shippo: Yes. Yes I did.  
  
Inuyasha: Do you think that Sesshomaru has healed Kagome yet?  
  
Brekke rider of gold Wirenth: No. I've read this far, and it hasn't happened yet, has it, dancing barefoot in my socks?  
  
Dancing barefoot in my socks: Actually, yes it has. It just happened before bazooie launched off into this segue.  
  
Dancing barefoot and Brekke: What?  
  
Inuyasha: Where did YOU come from?  
  
Brekke: We defied the laws of physics and leaped into a story, and are now being cruelly manipulated to satisfy the needs of unknown internet goers. You know I would never say this crap! Quit manipulating me!  
  
Dancing barefoot: You know, I'm being manipulated too. I don't really appreciate it.  
  
Omnipresent bazooie: I'm sooo sorry. Please forgive me. I'm being sarcastic.  
  
Brekke: Where are you, anyway?  
  
Me: Sitting at a computer, typing out all your little lives. Mwahaha.  
  
Me: I'm sorry. I won't type out your lives anymore.  
  
Dancing barefoot: You never WERE.  
  
Brekke: When are we going to take over the wor-turnip fields?  
  
Omnipresent bazooie: Soon, Brekke my friend, soon.  
  
Inuyasha, the first to recover: Wh-what? Who the hell? You look awfully like Kagome, with you school uniforms. Wait, how did you get here?  
  
Dancing barefoot, who has begun to walk over to Miroku: We jumped in the Boneater's Well, and now we're here.  
  
Brekke, who has put her arm around Inuyasha: Yea. Hey, do you know what I can do with you?  
  
Inuyasha: Eh?  
  
Brekke: I can put Kleenex on your head, and then marry you off.  
  
Inuyasha: I belong to Kikyo!  
  
Miroku: We've been over this! You chose Kagome! Uh, you're getting a little close I'm perfectly fine with that.  
  
Dancing barefoot: Plus, you should always color-sort Kleenex, Brekke.  
  
Brekke: Good riddance, Shippo! I hate you! And YOU! How dare you insult my Kleenex idea? And how can you say to poison Jane with Kleenex?  
  
Dancing barefoot: Uh, Brekke, it is rather easy.  
  
Inuyasha: Ladies, please calm down.  
  
Brekke/Dancing barefoot: OH! He called us ladies! And to think, he's going to chose US over Kagome, since she's being dead!  
  
Me: Hey, whoa! That would definitely alter my grand plot!  
  
Inuyasha: WHAT GRAND PLOT? WHAT THE HELL! WHO ARE YOU!  
  
Me: Oh, I'm sorry you two. You're time in this world is up.  
  
Dancing barefoot: I'll sick Pepper on you!  
  
Brekke: That was all? What a gyp that is.  
  
Inuyasha: Why did this happen?  
  
Miroku: I'm going to miss that one who hugged me.  
  
Me: No you won't.   
  
Them: Eh? What happened?  
  
Inuyasha: Oh yea, we were going to see Kagome! Where's Sango?  
  
Miroku: I don't think that was where we were headed, but Sango ran somewhere else.  
  
Inuyasha: Oh.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The silliness is over! Now back to the original story!  
  
Inuyasha came into the room, seeing Sesshomaru bending over Kagome. "Did you revive her?"  
  
He turned around to face his brother. "Well, she's breathing, but I have something to ask you."  
  
"What?" Inuyasha felt his stomach drop. He knew something was wrong, especially since Sesshomaru's eyes were so wide.  
  
"Did you leave here alone at any time?" Miroku looked down and Inuyasha cocked his head.  
  
"Why?" Inuyasha asked. Miroku, on the other hand, was beginning to see what Sesshomaru was hinting at.  
  
"Her soul is gone, and I did not know if you know who took it." Inuyasha stared at Kagome, lying on the bed, helpless.  
  
"Kikyo," he said, then leaned heavily on the doorframe. "Oh God no." Miroku placed a hand on his shoulder for comfort.  
  
Sesshomaru stared at the dead girl. 'Can he love her so much that he would be so devastated?'  
  
Inuyasha said, "I have already lost her once. Why must she come back? I want to forget her. I want Kagome!" He stood up. "And she, my first love, is in my way."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Well, that's that! And now that I am soo tired, I will be going to bed. Good night, happy late Halloween and I still have no idea why I am watching Joe Millionaire II. It's so addictive; if you're not watching it, don't fall into it's void.  
  
*But the horses are pretty! I love animals. I am also going on a sugar high out my butt. Wahah, anyway.  
  
I have finally gotten over my first story in creative writing! Not only did I fail to explain what the heck something was, I misused and abused dialogue tags. Whoops. However, I am getting better at my story and am now writing a new one (due two Fridays from now). I am a little afraid I might fail to explain it as well, but I solved that problem; I created the simplest plot I could and elaborated a whole lot. Mwahaha.  
  
Are you still reading? Gosh, I thought you would have bored out of your minds. Oh well. Thank you! I feel so loved! R and R and R and R. Rest, relax, read and review! I don't want you all to get tired. I you!  
~bazooie, who is now watching waaay too much TV than is good for her.  
  
PS-My fingernails are currently jade green right now, in case any of you care. 


End file.
